Chinese Harmony Renaissance ≠ The Confucian Renaissance
Prepared by
Dr. Ws. Chandra Setiawan
1.0. Introduction
President of China, Hu Jintao advocated the concept of “harmony” at United Nation’s 60th annivarsary summit, by saying: “Multilateralism, mutual beneficial cooperation and the spirit of inclusiveness should be upheld to realize common security, prosperity, and to build a world where all civillizations coexist harmoniously and accommodate each other” (Li Shijia, China Economic Net, 2007). On October 8, 2006, at its Central Committee meeting, the Communist Party of China launced the national campaign to build a harmonious society. It’s look that China try to extent this campaign not only in the countries but all over the world, as stated by Hu Jintao, President of China, “the central ideas of Harmony China and Harmony World as: China wants to build a harmony society of “democracy and rule of law, justice and righteousness, trustworthiness and friendliness, full of vitality, stable and orderly, a society of man and nature in harmony”. A Harmony World envisioned by China is “adherence to multilateralism, realization of mutual security, adherence to mutually beneficial cooperation, realization of mutual prosperity, adherence the spirit of tolerance and building a Harmony World together”. (Francis C.W. Fung, 2007).
In China today foreign policy is an extension of domestic policy, as is shown, when President of China, Hu Jintao visit South Africa (7 February 2007), he said that China’s development is peaceful, open, cooperative and harmonious in nature. And he adds at the end of his speech,”Let’s join hands and work tirelessly to realize this common vision” (building a harmonious world, adds by writer) (Xinhua, updated: 2007-02-07 19:26, electronic version).
In the past two years, China ‘going out’ has appeared to take on a new form, as Beijing begins to actively promote Chinese culture under the ‘harmonious world’ banner. Policy-wise, this manifested itself in the establishment of over 150 Confucius Institute in institutes of higher learning across the world , with seed funding and material help from the Office of Chinese Language Council International. The main function of these institutes is to improve the understanding of Chinese culture through improved language training facilities and immersion in the teachings of Confucius-thus greater ‘mutual understanding’, as articulated in the idea of ‘harmonious world’. (Sow Keat Tok, 2007, october).
2.0. Human Nature based on Confucius teaching
Relating to harmonious, Confucius said “JUN ZI HE ER BU TONG, XIAO REN TONG ER BU HE” which means that gentlemen place harmony above ideological differences, and petty people fight for ideology differences. “HAI NAI BEI CHUAN, YU YONG NAI DA” (The sea takes in hundreds of rivers, it can be big only if it contains) as cited by Francis C.W. Fung (2006).
For Prophet Kongzi (Confucius), a single person can not live alone. Men are plural, more than two who are living together. Thus, men are by nature ‘organization men’. Men are among men who live in the web of human relationships, e.g. parents and children, husband and wife, older and younger persons, friend and friend, and ruler and the people. What are the rules which regulate human relationships for harmony and peace to commence a happy life? They are virtues, that is ren (benevolence/humaneness), yi (righteousness), zhi (wisdom), li (propriety), yong (courage) and xin (mutual trust). Among them: ren, yi, zhi, yong and xin are all invisible; li is the only visible virtue. Another important characteristics of the Confucian virtues is their orientations: inward (ren) to the family, and outward (yi) to the society or nation. It should be understood that according to Confucius these orientations can not be vertical or horizontal, but reciprocal.
In LunYu 17:8 Prophet Kongzi (Confucius) said:
• To love humanness (ren) without loving learning is liable to foolishness.
• To love intelligence (zhi) without loving learning is liable to deviation from the right path.
• To love faithfullness/sincerity (xin) without loving learning is liable to harmful behavior.
• To love forthrightness/honesty (zhi) without loving learning is liable to intolerance.
• To love courage (yong) without loving learning is liable to insubordination.
• To love unbending strength (gang) without loving learning is liable to lead to indisciplin.
At the heart of Confucian ethics is the li, the guiding principle of all things great and small. (Lunyu, 1:12), which is held to be the behavior of the sages of antiquity as recorded in the classic text. Li has a range of meanings: rituals, propriety, etiquette, and ceremony; it denotes ideal behavior, and moral and righteous action, and is the means by which one works to “cut, carve, file and polish”, in order to become a superior person and cultivate ethical behavior. Kongzi said,”If you do not learn the li, rules propriety, your character cannot be established” (Lunyu, 16:13).
Ren is the central doctrine in Confucian ethics. Ren is defined as goodness, humaneness, love, benevolence, human-heartedness, and humanity. The word is rendered with two component parts that denote “person” and “two”, indicating the relationship between two people.
Other forms of cultivation also contribute to ethical development. Refinement is the arts, or wen, follows the example of the sages who created poetry, music, and ritual. According to Kongzi, those who study literature extensively and who are restrained by the li, are truly superior, and will not violate the “Confucian Way”. Thus, Confucians strive to master the fine arts---such refinement is the mark not only of aesthetic taste, but also of moral training.
The li provides a template for appropriate action which, once internalized, is expressed in human inter-action. The actions of the self-cultivated person are ren, the ethical term referred to most frequently by Kongzi in the Lunyu (the Analects). Together li and ren form the basis of ethical behavior which is balanced between self-cultivation and learning and the effortless extension of learning into human interaction.
Action in accordance with ren is manifest in attitude and external expression in two other virtues---reciprocity (shu) and sincerity (zhong). Reciprocity forms the basis of the Confucian golden rule----“What you do not want done to you, do not do to others” (Lunyu 15:24). Rather than assuming that others will like what one likes, one must consider actions from the other person’s point of view. The ethic of zhong provides a basis for the action of reciprocity---sincerity is a feeling, an internal orientation, that manifess itself in proper action.
An ordered, harmonious society is dependent on self-education and on each person playing his or her part appropriately with good intent. Confucians hold that actions are creative transformation---to become an ethical person, one must be self-cultivated through study and practice of appropriate behavior.
In Confucian Religion perspective demands that all people be treated with humanity (ren). All interaction must be based in ren, but specific actions are delineated within a clearly defined hierarchy (hierarchy is considered to be natural and essential to the creation of harmony). Key roles and corresponding virtues are outlined in the “Five Relationships”, namely, those between parent and child, elder brother and younger brother, husband and wife, friend and friend, and ruler and subject. Each relationship has its specific roles and responsibilities: a parent owes a child education, care, and moral formation; a child owes a parent obedience, respect, and care in old age and after death. The parent/child relationship establishes the basic pattern for other relationships---thus, the virtue of filiality (xiao) is the basis for social structure. A husband and wife are to care for each other. The elder brother has responsibility for younger siblings who owe him deference (birth order is very clearly delineated in East Asian kinship terms). The relationship between ruler and subject parallels that of parent and child, for the ruler is to provide care and guidance, and the subject is to be obedient as well as loyal. Friends are to be loyal---this is the only relationship that has the potential of being between people of equal rank, but even here, a hierarchy of age is often reflected.
Although obedience and defense are demanded from subordinates within this structure of relationships, a good son, worthy wife, and loyal minister have a duty to remonstrate unethical behavior. All five relationships (as well as others, such as those between teacher and student, and employer and employee) have serious mutual responsibilities, and both familial and non-familial bonds are presumed to last a lifetime.
Ethical action includes the “rectification of names,” which means knowing one’s roles in the web of relationships that create community, and behaving accordingly so as to insure social harmony.
Prophet Confucius said, ”Without recognizing the Decree of Tian (God) it is impossible to be a true men (gentlemen). Without knowing the li (the rites/the rules of propriety), it is impossible for the character to be established. Without knowing the meaning of words, it is impossible to know people” (Lunyu XX:3).
Mengzi (Mencius) said, “Love (ren) is man’s mind, and righteousness is man’s path. How lamentable is it to neglect the path and not pursue it, to lose this mind and not know to seek it again!” (Mengzi/Mencius VI A:11).
Ren is true love, is the purest, highest, and most perfect quality of love. True love overcomes the tendency toward self-centrednes and commits oneself to the welfare of others. By entering myself on true love and acting on the basis of true love, I will be most in harmony with the universe and following the true path to all my heart’s desires. True love is the essence of the spiritual laws, must be strived to give true love to other people and all creation. In heightening the awareness of this cosmic heart can be through such means as meditation, nature, prayer, and the best aspects of others.
Individual peace is the unit of world peace, therefore a peaceful world is possible only if it consists of individuals with peaceful minds, and peaceful physiologies. Positive change in individuals is guaranteed by practicing the teaching of Confucius as a faith and not only as ethics.
3.0. Closing Remarks
If the Confucian renaissance fully supported by the government and the chinese society, I believe China’s Harmony Renaissance will be successful not only in China, but all over the world. Confucius teaching can serve as a moral foundation to help build a more “harmonious society” in keeping with the President of China, Hu Jintao’s efforts to address social problems such as the polarization of society and a wide spread “money first” mentality. (Todd Crowell, 2005). The Confucian arround the world must become an exemplar in their behaviour as peace makers, making children a priority in the world, and as people that not only obey the human-made law, but also the spiritual law which is the only true path to lasting happiness, unity, success, joy, prosperity, well-being, and love.
